Yesterday saw the biggest pro-privacy demonstration in US history mounted in Washington DC, as thousands turned out to deliver a 500,000 strong petition to Congress to demand an end to the Federal government’s black hole budget agency, the NSA and their warrantless spying on Americans.

In the build up to the rally named ‘Stop Watching Us‘, a viral video helped to generate public awareness and support on the issue.

The build-up to the rally began October 16, when Fight For The Future (FFTF), a non-profit group and member of the Stop Watching Us coalition, released a new video tackling the NSA’s various surveillance practices. The crowdfunded video, narrated by Evangeline Lilly, is intended to drive conversation and generate momentum for a movement hoping to grow even larger.

“This isn’t about whether or not you have something to hide; it’s about our most basic rights, like freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” FFTF Campaign Manager Evan Greer told RT in an interview. “We hope this video does a good job of conveying that to people, and taking this beyond a conversation about terrorism and security and into a conversation about freedom.”

So far, the NSA video has reached over 250,000 views on YouTube, and the group is hoping to recreate the effect it generated with its video on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). With more than 7 million views, that video helped launch an effort that eventually influenced the tabling of the legislation in Congress.–SEE ALSO: PHOTOS: ‘Stop Watching Us’ Rally Against the NSA Hits Washington DC Today

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